International optometrist

14th May 2009

ON A recent trip to Cambodia, Stratford optometrist and Rose Charities' trustee Mike Webber, hosted a visit by Dame Silvia Cartwright to Rose Charities Eye Clinic.

"Dame Silvia spent 40 minutes at the clinic on April 25, after she had attended special Anzac Day events at the Australian Embassy," said Mike.

"She was charming and friendly and put us all at ease very quickly. She was most impressed with what we've been doing for the people of Cambodia and asked the staff all manner of questions regarding their work."

Dame Silvia was given a tour of the eye clinic and was fascinated by the pre-op preparations for cataract surgery that took place whilst she was there.

The New Zealand judge, and former Governor-General, Dame Silvia, is one of five trial judges for the Cambodia War Crimes Tribunal and has been based in Phnom Penh since July 2008. She and Lady June Hillary are patrons of Rose Charities New Zealand.

The International Centre for Eyecare Education (ICEE) and the Fred Hollows Foundation had huge input in establishing the Cambodian National Refractionist Training Project, which Mike himself was instrumental in setting-up and while in Cambodia, Mike took the opportunity to visit the school where an intake of refractionist nurses was in training.

"The group I saw in training were at Ang Doung Hospital in Phnom Penh. There were seven nurses in the intake and they came from all over Cambodia. When they are trained, they will return to the provinces and undertake the work they are trained for and refer people to the clinic."

The establishment of the National Refraction Training Centre in Phnom Penh, and the delivery of refraction training by local personnel, was identified as the most effective means to address the shortage of refraction personnel in Cambodia, in line with the findings of the 2007 Durban Declaration on Refractive Error and Service Development.

"The eye clinic in Phnom Penh is well on its way to becoming self-sustaining, but I'll continue to visit from time to time to help fine-tune its activities," said Mike.

As far as the general state of eye care in Cambodia is going, Mike believes great progress is being made and initiatives in the country have received a great level of support.

"The ophthalmic community in Cambodia is still new and emerging. In 2007, optometric services were provided by just 19 refractionists, and there was no training available in the country."

"Now, after help from the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists (RANZCO), four-year internships in ophthalmology have been set up and there are currently nine interns. RANZCO organises visiting lecturers, who come from around the world," he said.

Rose Charities is an organisation established to share the cost of rehabilitation for people in poor countries, including eye surgery, and celebrated 10-years in existence in December 2008.

"10 years has seen a huge amount happening in ways that follow the 'Rose' principles of ground level, person to person, 'human scale' initiatives."

"Rose Charities is coming of age but not, I am pleased to say, by adding layers of bureaucracy and rigid administration. The organisation remains what it always has been simply people helping people," said Mike.